Automatic recoiling pull starter



Aug. 30,' 1949. R. v. cATLlN 2,480,550

AUTOMATIC RECOILING PULL STARTER I Filed oct. 2s, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1Aug 30, 1949 R. v. CATLIN AUTOMATIC RECOILING PULL STARTER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oc. 28, 1947 ATTE! RN EYS Patented ug. 30, 1949UNITED STATES PATENT oEElcE AUTOMATIC RECOILING PULL STARTER Robert V.Catlin, Minneapolis,'Minn.

Application October 28, 1947, Serial No. 782,499'

(Cl. 12S-179) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an automatic recoiling pull starter forinternal combustion engines.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-` vide a pull starteradapted for use with internal combustion engines wherein upon the pullof the rope a return spring will be wound and upon the release of therope the spring will serve to return the starting rope automatically tothe pulley, the driving arms having been automatically released from thedriving sprocket.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a recoiling pullstarter for internal combustion engines which is of simple construction,inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install upon the engine andefficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a frontelevational view of the pull starter.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the starter taken on line 3-3of Fig. 2, and showing the driving arms in engagement with the sprocket.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 andlooking in plan upon the actuating spring.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the figures, I0 represents a fly Wheel of an engine towhich my pull starter is attached by fastening screws II. Thesefastening screws extend through a disc I2 having notches I3circumferentially spaced therearound. Adapted to enter the notches I3are driving arm studs I5 extending from driving arms or links I6. Thedriving arms I6, of which there are two in number, are respectivelypivotally connected to pulley I1 by fastening screws I8 as shown inFigure 5. The driving arms are guided in and out of the notches I3 by aguide 2l having slots 22 disposed respectively in the opposite endsthereof in which there is slidable driving arm guide pins 23. These pinsextend through the slots and also through the driving arms and serve tolimit the pivotal movement of the driving arms.

The pulley I'l is rotatably mounted on a shaft 24 which is lxedlymounted in a housing 25 in which it is secured by a lock nut 26 with awasher 21 under the nut. The housing can be fixed to the engine blockand will enclose the parts. On the inside of the housing is a ber block28 to which a spring 29 is anchored by a lug 3|, Fig. 4. The

2 pulley Il has a flange 33 for confining the spring 29 on the outerface of the same. The ends of the spring are provided with spring lockpins 54 and 35 respectively.

About the pulley there is extended a cord 3l which is passed severaltimes therearound and which has a handle 38 on the outer end of the samewhich is pulled to effect the rotation of the pulley and the winding upof the spring 29. A projection 39 may be provided on one side of thehousing for guiding the cord 3l from the housing.

Within the bore of the pulley there is provided a guide spring retainer4I through which the pulley is mounted on the shaft and this retainerprovides a housing for retaining the spring l2 extending about the shaft24.

The spring 42, being in compression in the retainer, urges the frictionwasher 44 against the guide 2I and thereby frictionally holds the guideagainst the flange or head 45 of the stud forming the shaft 24. Thefriction between these parts is sucient upon rotation of the pulley Ilwhen the cord 31 is pulled outwardly to actuate the guide 2I so that thepins 23 move inwardly in the slot 22 and in this movement the studs i5in the arms I6 engage with the notches I3 of the disk I2. With the studsI5 in the notches I3 the engine shaft will be rotated as the pulley isrotated by the cord as the pulley I1 is connected by the arm I6 throughthe studs I5 with the disk I2 as shown in Figure 5.

While the rope or cord 3l is being pulled, the unit is turned and themain spring is wound up. When the rope is released, the main spring 29actuates the unit in the opposite direction thereby causing the drivingarms to disengage from the notches of the disc as the unit revolves backto its normal position. The guide 2I will remain motionless until thedriving arms I6 have engaged with the notches of the disc and will thenslip to allow the guide to revolve with the unit. The spring 42 exerts aconstant pressure upon the friction washer 44 which in turn binds theguide 2| between the friction washer and the flange 45.

This starter is designed primarily for use on outboard motors and forsmall gasoline engines not originally equipped with a pull starter.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic recoiling pull starter for an engine having a ywheel andan engine housing.

comprising a disc with notches in the periphery and having means bywhich it may be attached to the y wheel of the engine, a pulley having apull cord groove in the periphery, a starter housing enclosing thepulley and disc and having means for mounting the said starter housingon the engine housing, a spring in the pulley with one end connected tothe pulley and the other to the starter housing, a shaft carried by thestarter housing .on which the pulley is rotatably mounted, a guidehaving slots therein mounted on the shaft, and arms having pins extendedthrough the slots of the guide with one of the ends of the armspivotally mounted on the pulley and with studs earried by the oppositeends of the arms .positioned to engage the notches in the periphery ofthe disc.

2. An automatic recoiling pull starter for an engine having a y Wheeland an engine housing, comprising a disc with notches in the peripheryand having means by which it may be attached to the y Wheel of theengine, a pulley having a pull cord groove in the periphery, a starterhousing enclosing the pulley and` disc and having means for mounting thesaid starter housing on the Vengine housing, a spring in the pulley withone end connected to the pulley and the other to the starter housing, ashaft carried by the starter housing on which the pulley is rotatablymounted, a guide having slots therein vmounted on the shaft, arms havingpins extended through the slots of the guide with one of the ends of thearms pivotally mounted on the pulley and with studs carried by theopposite ends of the arms positioned to engage the `notches in theperiphery of the disc, said shaft carried by the starter housing having4 a head on the inner end thereof, and resilient means urging the saidguide against the head of the shaft.

3. In an automatic recoiling pull starter for an engine having a flyWheel and an engine housing, a disc with notches in the periphery andhaving means by which it may be attached to the ily Wheel of the engine,a pulley having a pull cord groove in the periphery, a starter housingenclosing` the pulley and disc and having means for mounting the saidstarter housing on the engine housing, a spring in the pulley with oneend connected to the pulley and the other to the starter housing, ashaft carried by the starter housing Qn which the-pulley is rotatablymounted, a guide having slots therein mounted on the shaft, arms havingpins extended through the slots of the guide with one of the ends of thearms pivotally mounted on the pulley and with studs carried by theopposite ends of the arms positioned to engage the notches in theperiphery of the disc, and a pull eord` mounted in the cord groove ofthe pulley with a knob on the outer end positioned on the exterior ofthe starter housing.

ROBERT V. CATLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Ille ofthis patent:

4UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l1639,5'l'4 Parr Nov. 2, 1875934,576 Seyler Sept. 2l, 1909

